What Bengals get signing tight end Thaddeus Moss

The Bengals claimed tight end, Thaddeus Moss, off waivers from the Washington Football Team on Monday. Moss was a teammate of Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow at LSU and the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss. Moss missed the entire 2020 season with a fractured foot.

Moss had surgery on the foot in February 2020 and missed the entire 2018 season at LSU with a leg injury. Moss was a key receiver for Burrow during the Tigers’ 2019 National Championship season. In 14 games for LSU In 2019, Moss set program records for a TE with 47 receptions and 570 receiving yards with four touchdowns.

Moss is the fifth TE on the Cincinnati roster. Drew Sample, Mason Schreck, C.J. Uzomah and Mitchell Wilcox are not the receivers that Moss is. Moss led Cincinnati TEs in 2020 with 40 receptions for 339 yards and one TD. Moss gives the Bengals a more athletic TE in the open field and a familiar target for Burrow.

There have been some projections that the Bengals will consider Florida TE Kyle Pitts with the fifth pick. Another college teammate of Burrow’s and Moss, WR Ja’Marr Chase and Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell are considered the most likely selections for Cincinnati in the NFL Draft later this month.

Signing Moss doesn’t preclude the Bengals from drafting Pitts or another TE who would become available for Cincinnati. Taking a chance on Moss is a low-risk, potentially high reward signing. He is in no way his father either. The Bengals have to add as many potential playmakers as they can for Burrow to upgrade the offense.

The Bengals will almost definitely add offensive line help and a WR in the first or second round of the NFL Draft unless they select Pitts in the first round. There will be multiple OL and WRs available when Cincinnati picks 38th overall in the second round of the NFL Draft. This is a critical draft as the Bengals continue to rebuild.